Air conditioning conduit



Feb. 25, 1936. T. H. TlsE AIR CONDITIONING CONDUIT 3 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Sept. 25V, 19,55

Feb. 25, 1936. T. H. 'rlsE v AIR CONDITIONING CONDUIT Filed Sept. 25,1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 25, 1936. l T. H T155 2,032,103`

AIR CONDITIONINGCONDUIT Filed Sept. 25, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F A Ygy Xk Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE A1B CNDITIONINGCONDUIT Thomas H. Tise, Winston-Salem, N. C. Application September 25,1933, Serial No. 690,913 zo claims.' (c1. 13s-5s) 'Ihis application is acontinuation-#impart of .my application for patent for "Air conditioningit also contemplates the provision of conduits which may be installed indwellings and other buildings during the construction of same,

The successful use of small air conditioning units in dwellings hasresulted in an increasing demand for equipment that may be installed inexisting dwellings without cutting into the walls to conceal theconduits. In bungalows and relatively small dwellings, it is acomparatively simple matter to install air outlet openings orregistersin the iioor, and to connect these with the air conditioning apparatusby ducts which are located in the cellar of the dwelling. The problembecomes quite complicated, however, when the dwelling is of such sizeand design that conditioned air must be piped from the cellar to anupper iloor. Many home owners object to the cutting of the walls toconceal the conduits and also object to the location of conduits withinthe rooms. i

It has Abeen proposed to construct metal conduits in small sections offrom two to about six or eghtinches in length, but considerable time isrequired to install the sectional conduits through small openingslocated behind the base board in the room and it is not practicalproperly to insulate this type of installation to meet some buildingcode requirements nor to make it eficient in operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a conduit, of relativelyflexible construction, which may bemade in comparatively `long lengthsfor installation in small spaces between the walls'oi a dwelling.

An object is to provide a flexible conduit which may be collapsed tofacilitate the threading of the conduit through a small opening, andexpand. er units which may be drawn into the conduit, from one end, tohold the conduit in open or expanded condition.

A further object is to provide a conduit, for air conditioningapparatus, which is formed of reinforced asbestos and coated or treatedwith a high grade, high melting point asphalt.

A still -further object is to provide a relatively exible, orcomparatively rigid, conduit, for air conditioning apparatus, the wallsof which are of laminated construction and include asbestos in at orcorrugated sheets, woven or brous reinforcing material, corrugated boardof ordinary 5 commercial type., adhesive binders, and sheet, foil, orimpregnated metallic coatings, all in various associations andcombinations.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following 10 specification when taken with the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a schematic, perspective view illustrating, in general, thetype of installation contemplated by the invention;

. y l5 Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional detail showing oneend of the conduit and the equipment with which it is associated;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation illustrating the methodof inserting the expander 20 sleeves within the conduit;

Fig. 4 isan enlarged,- fragmentary, 'sectional perspective view of oneend-of a collapsed con duit;

one of the expander sleeves; v

Figs. 6 to 11,inclusive, are enlarged fragmentary transverse sectionalviews illustrating six diierent combinations and arrangements of laminaefor forming the walls of relatively flexible 30 conduits as contemplatedby the invention;

Figs. 12 to 14, inclusive, are enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsectional views illustrating three dierent combinations and arrangementsof laminae for forming the walls of comparatively 35 rigid conduits ascontemplated by the invention; and

Fig. 15 illustrates, on a. reduced scale, and in transverse section a.conduit formed, i'or example,

of laminated material such as shown in any of 40 Figs. 12, 13 and 14,and folded or collapsed for shipping, storage and. installation purposesin a manner different from that of the conduit oi Figs. 2 to 4.

In the drawings, the reference character A 45 identifies the cellarfloor of a dwelling which has a rst or ground iioorV B and at least oneupper floor C. The iioors B and C are formed of iloor beams or stringersI which carry the wooden ooring 2 and, in the case of the upper iioor C,50

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of 25 lengths ofconduit material maybe hitroduced,

in folded condition, into these small bays or spaces without cuttinginto the exposed surfaces of partition walls, and may then be expandedto form a conduit of approximately the full crosssection of the spacebetween 'adjacent wall studs. Access is had to this space hy. cuttingopenings in the ooring 2, but these openings are concealed by thepartition walis W and therefore are not objectionable. Such openings arereadily made in the ground floor B by working from the cellar, and aremade in the flooring 2 of the upper floor C by removing a section of thebase board l. g

As illustrated, the conduit T for connecting the air conditioningapparatus 8 with Va register or outlet opening 9 takes the formvof anelongated tube which, while collapsed to decrease its width, is threadedinto and through a bay of a wall to extend from one oor level to thenext in a single continuous tube.

The tube T is preferably of rectangular crosssection when expanded, andincludes side walls I andend walls II which, as originally formed, arefolded inwardly to lie between theside walls,

` thus reducing the width of the collapsed tube T to the approximateWidth of but` four times the thickness of the wall of the tubing. Thetube T may be formed of thin metal, or may comprise relatively heavyside walls of metal and thinner.

end walls, but, as illustrated, is formed of a fabricated materialcomprising asbestos I2 on a woven reinforcement I3 of eords or flexiblewire, the material being rendere-:i waterproofi and air tight byimpregnation with lngh` grade, high melting point asphalt.

A metallic thimble or guide, not shown, may be secured to the end of thecollapsed conduit to facilitate the introduction of' A the conduit into,and its passage through, the bay between adjacent studs. When theconduit T is in place, it is expanded into normal position by means of apluralityl of short expander sleeves I4, of rectangular outline whichhave one edge rounded off, as by the beading I5, and the opposite edgeprovided with projections or .wide saw teeth I6. The expander sleeves I4are drawn into conduit 'I' by grappling hooks I1, which engage beneaththe beading I5, and, when` in place, the sleeves are retained by theengagement of the projections I6 with the wall of the conduit.

The expander sleeves at the opposite ends Vof the conduit may serve asthe couplings for joining the conduit to similar conduit sections, tometal conduits or to the outlet boxes at the registers.

impregnated asbestosv tubing is well adapted for use as condults'for airconditioning apparatus as it is perfectly stable at the pressures andtemperatures which are encountered. -The impregnated material iscompmatively stiff but possesses sulcient ilembility to perxnit bendingof the collapsed tube during installatio In forming the tubing, thecorners or edges which form the joints of the folded wall sections aresuitably thickened and shaped to prevent any vtearing of the tubingduring the folding in or opening out of the end wall sections.

While the novel conduit material rnay be placed in buildings underconstruction, it particularly advantageous in the installation of airconditioning apparatus in existing buildings. The collapsed tubing maybe made up in several stock lengths of, for example, from nine to twelvefeet, or in long lengths that are printed along one edge with foot andinch graduations to facilitate the cutting off of any desired length.With either of these arrangements, the tubing may be made in differentsizes, such as from 3" x 10" to 5%" x 14". As compared with thepreviously known conduits formed by assembling short sections, the costper foot is substantially lower and the time required vfor theinstallation of a continuous length of conduit is only a small fractionof the time required to assemble and install the sectional conduit.Furthermore, the novel conduit is properly insulated and .affords afree, clear and eiicient passage for the conditioned air.

As noted above, the conduit may be formed of materials other thanimpregnated asbestos fabric and, to meet the building code requirementsof different cities, the conduit may consist of metaL of fabricatedmaterial comprising asbestos on a woven reinforcement and renderedwaterproof and air tight by coating or impregnation with asphalt, ofimpregnated asbestos tubing, or it mayv i, be formed of various types oflaminated material, as illustrated in Figs.' 6 to 1li, inclusive, thechoice of material being made in accordance with the conditions ofinstallation and service encountered.

As already stated, the types of laminated material illustrated in Figs.6 to 11, inclusive, are relatively flexible, and thus are suitedparticularly for the formation of conduits adapted for installation infinished buildings, where relatively tortuous threading of the conduitsthrough the wall bays is required. The types of laminated materialillustrated in Figs. 12 to 14, inclusive, are, however, comparativelyrigid and are best suited for the formation of con-duits adapted forinstallation in buildings fin course of construction, or where threadingof the conduits is unnecessary, or where the work is exposed.

The material of Fig. 6 comprises an outer layer or sheet of asbestospaper or other suitable fireresisting material a, a coating of anadhesive binder 1;-, such as asphalt, a sheet of reinforcing material c,either woven or fibrous, such as tough heavy paper, cloth, wire mesh orfelt, an adhesive coating d, and an inner layer or sheet of material esimilar to the layer or sheet a, these lamina: a, c and e being'cementedtogether by the adhesive coatings b and d.

The material of Fig. 7 comprises lamin simiin all respects to those ofFig. 6, as indicated, but includes, in addition, a coating of adhesivebinder f which serves to affix to the inner face of the material `asheet or foil a of aluminum or other suitable metal which serves as alining for the interior of the conduit and acts, by reflection, toprevent radiation of heat through and deterioration of the conduit.

The material of Fig. 8 is substantially similar to that of Fig. 7, butthe metallic inner sheathing h Vin exposed or unconcealed locations.

out an incorporated binder, it will penetrate and adhere to the surfaceof the material of the inner layer e.

, The materials of Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are similar, respectively, tothose of Figs. 6, '7 and 8 but the outer layers or lamin a and e' areprovided with relatively ne corrugations so disposed as to extendlongitudinally of the conduit. The vertical corrugations preventstretching or cracking on the outside of the folds and take up thesurplus on the inside in an orderly way Without puckering or distortionand they also add very materially to the insulating properties-of thewalls.

'Ihe material of Fig. 12 comprises a sheet or layer of the ordinarycorrugated board of commerce, comprising top and bottom liners i and j,respectively, of heavy paper, fiber board, or the like, and aninterposed layer of 4corrugated paper k, a coating of adhesive binder dand an inner layer e of asbestos paper or the like.'

The material of Fig. 13 is similar .to that of Fig. 12, but the layer eis sheathed with the metal foil or the like g appliedby means ofadhesive J".

The material of Fig. 14 is similar to that of Fig. 13, but the sheathingof metal h is similar to:

conduits hereinbefore particularly described, and makes them best suitedfor use in buildings under construction, where no threading isnecessary, or Moreover, where the outer or top liner is of ber board,the exposed surfaces of the conduit may most readily be painted, paperedor otherwise decorated or treated.

Where the material of the conduit is of such a nature that it may notreadily be folded into cornpactv form as illustrated particularly inFig. 4, such as would be the case with respect to conduits made of therelatively stiff materials of Figs. 12 to 14, inclusive, the conduit maybe provided with scorings Z and m, such as are used in cartons and othercontainers made of corrugated board, and folded fiat as indicated in thedouble walled conduit shown in Fig. 15. Y

Obviously, conduits made of the other materials described may also besimilarly scored and folded. Asphalt has been mentioned as an adhesivebinder suitable for uniting the lamin of the conduit forming materialsdescribed, and this substance is considered to be most desirable becauseof itsy adhesive, damp-proofing and flexible properties. However, inmaterials such as those illustrated in Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive, otheradhesives such as water glass (sodium silicate) may be effectively used.

I am aware that various types of laminated materials are known, some ofsuch materials including in their structure asbestos sheets, fabric,metal foil and other substances united by suitable adhesive binders, butI am not aware of such laminated materials ever having been usedheretofore in the construction of conduits for installation in trativeonly, and that the claims following are not This lends to the conduitsthus formed a stiffness not present in the to be interpreted asspecifically limited thereto, except such claims as read directlythereon.

I claim:

1. A conduit for air conditioning apparatus comprising a tube havingopposed side walls, and flexible, foldable walls joining said sidewalls, said iiexible, foldable walls being initially folded uponthemselves to bring the opposed side walls into closely spacedrelationship, said tube adapted to be expanded to conduit-formingcondition, the width of said tube when folded being no greater than whenexpanded.

2. A conduit comprising an elongated tube, opposite portions of the sidewalls of said tube being turned inwardly and folded upon themselves tobring the intermediate portions of said tube into closely spacedrelationship, and means normally separate from said tube and adapted tobe drawn through said tube to force said inwardly turned folded portionsoutwardly to increase the cross-section of the tube.

3. A conduit for air conditioning apparatus, comprisingva tube ofrectangular cross-section when open, selected opposed sides of the tubebeing iiexible and foldable to permit the tube to be collapsed, andmeans normally separate from said tubeand adapted to be drawn into thetube from one end to expand the same to its maximum cross-section. 4

4. A conduit for air conditioning apparatus, comprising a relativelyrigid tube of fabricated material having limited flexibility permittingportions of said tube to be bent out of axial alinement, and onelongitudinal strip of said tube being formed by two relatively rigidwall portions reversely folded inwardly upon each other between andclosely adjacent the adjoining portions of said tube, whereby the tubemay be collapsed/upon itself in relatively fiat condition.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said fabricatedmaterial comprises asbestos impregnated with asphalt.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said fabricatedmaterial comprises asbestos impregnated with asphalt and reinforced witha woven fabric.

'7. In air conditioning apparatus, a conduit comprising an air tight andre resistant tube of asbestos on a reinforcing fabric and impregnatedwith asphalt, diametrically opposed portions of said tube beinginitially collapsed inwardly to decrease the thickness of said tube, anda plurality of short expander sleeves adapted to be drawn into said tubeto retain the same in expanded condition to form a conduit.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said sleeveshas one rounded edge and an edge provided with projections forengagement with said conduit to prevent relative displacement thereof.

9. A conduit for air conditioning apparatus and adapted to be drawn intothe space between the studding of an existing wall, said conduitcomprising an elongated tube of fabricated material impregnated torender the same waterproof and air tight, opposed portions of said tubebeing folded inwardly to collapse said tube to permit the same to beinserted into said space through a small opening, and a plurality ofshort tubular elements of rectangular outline normally separate fromsaidrtube and adapted to be drawn into the collapsed tube from one endthereof to progressively expand said tube, said elements beingultimately positioned within said tube at intervals in spaced relationto maintain the tube in expanded condition.

Il0. The invention as set forth in claim 9, wherein one edge of saidtubular elements is smooth to slide along the inner surface of saidtube, and the opposite edge is roughened for engagement with said tubeto prevent reverse movement of the tubular element.

cross-section for air conditioning apparatus,

comprising a tube having a Walldivided into longitudinally extendingwall sections exibly connected by longitudinally extending hingesections, each Wall section being of laminated construction andincluding a layer of asbestos and a layer of reinforcing material unitedby an aldhesive binder. l

13. A conduit of substantially rectangular cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall sections exibly connected bylongitudinally extending Vhinge sections, each wall section being `oflaminated construction and including a layer of fire-resistant materialand a layer of reinforcing material united by an adhesive binder ofasphalt.

14. A conduit for air conditioning apparatus comprising a tube oflaminated construction, said tube including a layer of non-metallic`reresistant material,- a layer of reinforcing material, and an innermetallic heat-reflecting coating. f

15. A 'conduit of substantially rectangular cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall sections iiexibly connected bylongitudinally extending hinge sections, each wall section being oflaminated construction and including a layer of non-metallicfire-resistant material, a layer of reinforcing material, and an innermetallic coating appliedto the surface of said fire-resistant materialand providing a reiiective lining for the interior of the tube.

16. A conduit of substantially rectangular cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall sections flexibly connected by,longitudinally extending hinge sections, each wall section being oflaminated construction and including a layer oi corrugated' rstmentioned layer extending longitudinally of the tube.

18. A conduit Ii312 substantially rectangularv cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall sections flexibly connected bylongitudinally extending hinge sections, each `Wall section being oflaminated construction and including an inner layer and an outer layerof 4rire-resistant material, and an interposed layer of reinforcingmaterial united thereto.

19. A conduit of substantially rectangular cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall ysections exibly connected bylongitudinally extending hinge sections, each wall section being oftransversely rigid laminated construction and including a layer ofcorrugated board of commerce and a. layer of nre-resistant materialunited thereto.

20. A conduit' of substantiallyl rectangular cross-section for airconditioning apparatus, comprising a tube having a wall divided intolongitudinally extending wall sections flexibly connected bylongitudinally extending vhinge sections, each wall sectionbeing oftransversely rigid laminated construction and including a layer ofcorrugated board of commerce and a layer of nre-resistant materialunited thereto, the corrugations of said corrugated board extendingtransversely of the tube.

'THOMAS H. 'I'ISE.

